


0.2 seconds

by gilsoonie



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:34:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilsoonie/pseuds/gilsoonie
Summary: And before you know it, you've already fallen in love.





	1. prelude

_A string of incredulous gasps filled the once bustling reception hall. With jaws dropped, the guests watched in astonishment as one of the groomsmen climbed on top of the head table. The pristine, white table cloth was quickly dirtied as a pair of shining, black dress shoes scuffled against them in the individual's attempt to re-gain his balance. Quickly scanning the multiple pairs of eyes across the room, the brunette raised his champagne glass, his handsome smile beaming jubilantly at the newlywed couple. Gossip-filled whispers spread like wild fire amongst the guests, even as the man happily announced his congratulations to the pair that sat to his side._

_"Lee Donghae! Get off the table this very instant or, so help me God, I will not even hesitate to destroy you for ruining my wedding day!" one half of the couple snarled, trying to hurl himself towards his older friend despite the fact that his lanky form was being physically restrained by the other groomsmen._

_"No way," the man snorted, playfully winking at the cackling, as well as significantly more amused, half of the couple. "I'm not afraid of you. Besides, we made a deal. Remember?"_

_The brunette turned away from the couple, ignoring the obscenely, profane mutterings of the fuming groom as he flashed his signature toothy grin towards the now puzzled audience. "Anyways, it is with great pleasure to be standing before you all today and recounting the tale of how I, Lee Donghae, not only witnessed, but also catalyzed the start of this beautiful relationship."_


	2. part i

"I've done it!"

At the sound of his roommate’s intrusion, Kyuhyun nearly toppled backwards in his seat, surprised by both the loud banging of the door being carelessly thrown open, as well as by the rambunctious battle cry of Donghae bulldozing into his bedroom. Before he could even fathom a response, the older man (although he often acted more like the youngest one within their circle of friends) latched himself onto Kyuhyun's arm, violently tugging and jerking it around.

"With this design, the Lee family jewelers are going to become the next Cartier!" Donghae shouted, pearly whites glistening as his beaming grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Ow!" Kyuhyun cried out, instinctively using his free limbs in attempt to pry away the man’s tight hold. "We've talked about this before! Use your words first!"

Donghae immediately released the now-limp arm from his grasp and fell back with a dull _plop!_ onto the foot of Kyuhyun's bed, legs cheerfully dangling off the edge. Without another word, he reached into the seemingly endless pocket of his coat and pulled out his well-loved smartphone, silently tinkering with it. Just as Kyuhyun's lips parted, fully prepared to scold Donghae for disrupting his scheduled study session, the brightly lit device was shoved in front of his face, repeatedly knocking against the younger’s glasses frames.

"Look! Look at this!"

"Stop hitting me in the face and I will!" Kyuhyun snapped, plucking the device out of Donghae's expecting hand before a bruise could form.

The younger man huffed at Donghae. Though judging by the toothy grin that seemed to be permanently etched never seemed to quite dissipate even in instances like this, he remained unfazed by the deadly glare sent his way. Instead, the former hurriedly gestured for Kyuhyun to take a look at the phone's contents. Deciding that his best choice of action was to comply before Donghae unknowingly became physical once more, Kyuhyun glanced down. Displayed before him was an image of what seemed to be another one of Donghae's designs for the small jewelry shop that his family owned in Mokpo.

Compared to the previous "works of art" that Donghae had shared with him in the past, the chained bracelet was relatively tame and simplistic, the style similar to the ones that he often saw the girls in his class gushing over. Sitting in middle of the chain was a gold plated band, half of it embedded with sparkling diamond-like gems. His interest piqued at the sight of the seemingly ornate engraving on the opposite side of the golden band. Kyuhyun curiously squinted his eyes, scanning the elaborate text before glancing back at the bracelet’s designer.

"0.2 seconds?"

" _Yes!_ " Donghae cheered, snatching his phone back from his younger friend. He smiled proudly, his doe-like eyes threatening to spill over with a flood of tears as calloused fingers gingerly hovered over the image.

Kyuhyun sighed at Donghae, pushing the rim of his askew glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "I'm probably going to regret asking you this, _but_...pray tell, what does that even mean?"

Donghae’s easy going smile suddenly fell, a feat that seemed borderline unjust. His typically slouched posture was easily self-corrected as he sat up straighter than Kyuhyun had ever seen in all the years of knowing the other. The older man's eyes narrowed as he glanced around the room, his expression leery before silently gesturing Kyuhyun towards himself. Not in the mood to deal with another one of Donghae's fits, Kyuhyun complied to the excessively theatrical demand. The younger man pushed himself from his seat by his desk and plopped down next to Donghae. However, the very moment his bottom made contact with the soft mattress of his bed, a hand tightly gripped onto the younger man's wrist before yanking the rest of Kyuhyun's lanky form in the same direction.

"They say...that it only takes 0.2 seconds...to fall in love," was all Donghae breathed into his ear before Kyuhyun felt his self-proclaimed, fragile body become the victim of abuse once more. Donghae took a hold of both his forearms, vigorously shaking him back and forth with the pent-up excitement. "It's **_totally_** romantic right?!"

"Not at all," Kyuhyun deadpanned. "It's a gimmick."

An incredulous gasp slipped between Donghae’s lips. He quickly pulled up the internet browser on his phone, his fingers frantically typing on the screen's keyboard as if everything he owned as at stake. "Look at this!" he demanded, shoving the phone in front of Kyuhyun's eyes once more. Luckily, Kyuhyun had anticipated a similar response and quickly leaned back, avoiding the impact between his face and Donghae's phone by mere centimeters. On the screen, there were multiple search results for the term '0.2 seconds falling in love'.

The younger male snorted, pushing himself off the bed as he went back to his desk. He ignored Donghae's pout, opting instead to turn his attention back to the textbook he had been perusing through for the past hour or so. "There's no legitimacy to that statement. And I highly doubt those articles listed can even be considered accurate since you logically can't calculate the time nor the speed it takes for an individual to 'fall in love' with someone because-"

"Screw logic," Donghae interjected, arms spread out as he flung himself backwards onto the bed. "Kyuhyun-ah, you can't always rely on numbers and calculations to find the answer. Sometimes in life, you just gotta go with your _gut_."

"And assuming that I “go with my gut”, why haven't I experienced this so-called phenomena?"

The older man backled boisterously as he rolled over onto his stomach. Propping himself upright with his elbows, Donghae suddenly looked years younger than he already did with his face cupped by the palm of his hands. His normally naive and confused expression morphed into a rare mischievous one that only appeared when hanging around Kim Heechul for an extended period of time. "Easy. You have the _worst_ taste when it comes to dating."

Kyuhyun shot an annoyed glare at the cheeky grin. "Shut up."

Donghae playfully stuck his tongue at his younger friend, who only rolled his eyes in response. "So you don't deny it? Or maybe you've just been filled with so much _lust_ and _sexual attraction_ that you haven't been able to properly feel love."

"And this is why I never have serious conversations with you Donghae,"

"Oi, its Donghae- _hyung_ to you," He corrected. The older man rolled off the bed, sauntering over to where the younger male was sitting and playfully mussed the head full of chestnut colored hair.

"Anyways, even though you're ill-mannered...and cynical...and rather unapproachable when it comes to others, as your favorite hyung, I sincerely hope that one day you'll meet that special someone and you'll get to experience that warm fuzzy feeling of falling in love, even if it takes a smidge longer than 0.2 seconds. And whenever you find them, I'll even custom-make a bracelet for the poor sap."

"I hate you," Kyuhyun murmured, moreso to himself despite being pulled into a brief, yet still forceful mix between a cuddle and a hug. Just as Donghae, who excused himself to share his excitement with others, closed the rickety bedroom door behind him, the younger male let out a near inaudible scoff, unbeknownst to the curious pair of eyes that continued to peer between the cracks. "And if that ever happens, I'll let you tell everyone how you’re right."

A delighted gasp slipped from the smile spreading across the older man's face. Without another word, he scurried off, eager to share with Hyukjae the important details of the newly formed pact.

~*~

Heavy winter boots trudged through the snow covered ground, leaving deep imprints amidst the boundless fields of white. Regardless of the fact that the snowstorm had dwindled down considerably, its weakened remnants continued to flutter across the university grounds, though most of the student inhabitants were fortunate enough to observe from a distance within the warmth of the university buildings.

Kyuhyun, however, found himself doing the opposite, albeit rather begrudgingly. Instead of locking himself away once more for hours within the confines of the library’s comfortable study rooms, the lanky man was trekking through two inches of fluffy white snow, clad from head to toe in thick layers of winter gear. Tightly clutched in his gloved hand was a worn, aquatic themed lunch bag, its bright colors contrasting the seamlessly endless horizon. Despite its rather compact size, the bag felt almost as if it were filled solely with heavy stones, rather than with a variety of dishes that the Kyuhyun knew for a fact that the bag’s owner definitely did _not_ make on his own.

Harsh winds continuously slapped against the bare parts of his face that remained unprotected by his muffler. His already numbed lips emitted what resembled a tortured groan as Kyuhyun thought back to the messy exchange of text messages from less than ten minutes ago.

To "Qhyun!"

_hihihi its me! i think i left my lunch with u???_

_its missing! ㅜㅜ_

To "Donghai"

_You did._

_Even after I reminded you to grab it before you left ><_

To "Qhyun!"

 _oh_ _noooooooooooooooo :(_

_can u bring it over to the fine arts building plz???_

_i'm at the usual spot with my comp partner and i think he might have a stroke if i leave~_

_he alrdy got mad cuz i was late to our meetup :c_

_thanks bro ^^_

To "Donghai”

_If you haven't noticed, there’s a snowpocalypse outside._

To "Qhyun!”

_oh yeah i saw that earlier! its real pretty *~* must take pics!!_

_but back to important things!_

_i'm so so SO hungry ㅜㅜ_

_do u want ur favorite hyung to starve?? :c_

To "Donghai”

_At this moment, yes_

To "Qhyun!”

_WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT_

 

_KYUHYUN!!!!_

 

_GOD DAMNIT CHO KYUHYUN DON'T YOU DARE START IGNORING ME YOU LITTLE BRAT!_

To "Donghai”

_If you want it that much, come get it yourself! >.<_

_I’m busy._

To "Qhyun!"

_lololol ur silly_

_oki doki lets try this again!_

_plz be a good dongsaeng and bring ur fav hyung his lunch <3_

_or i'll frward these messages to Heechul-hyung (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧_

To "Donghai”

_…_

_On my way_

_And screw you_

~*~

The double doors leading into the main lobby of the fine arts building were suddenly flung wide open, silencing the lively chatter that had gathered. Emerging from the snowy fields, the winter clad figure stomped through the entrance, faint trails of the chilly weather lingering closely behind him. Bits and pieces of snow fluttered towards the ground as he passed through the crowd, which had quickly parted itself like the Red Sea at the sight of the rather dubious mad man swinging around a familiar lunch carrier. Wordlessly, Kyuhyun headed towards familiar set of hallways, eyes rolling at the indiscrete whispers and gestures from the other students.

_'I swear I'm going to make his life a living hell forever. Crying to Heechul-hyung won't be able to save you this time Lee Donghae!'_

Kyuhyun scuffled through the narrow, maze like hallways, only semi-aware of the multiple students that he nearly trampled over amidst his incoherent streams of threats. Instinctively, his feet carried him to the building’s most secluded set of practice rooms, where he held nearly two years’ worth of memories with his small, yet intimate group of friends.  Despite the fact that their small clique studied various disciplines, they often found themselves lounging around the practice rooms more often than some of the actual fine arts students. Afterall, it was hard not to once pestered with Donghae’s incessant pleads and whines for a constant source of company as the music composition student completed his own coursework.

There, neatly tucked away in the crook of the hallways, was Donghae’s favorite practice room, its door wide open and welcoming as usual. Kyuhyun approached the room, lips parted and ready to release the escalating string of profanities at his older friend. Yet, instead, he felt himself pulled to a screeching halt by the pacifying sound of music that drifted from the practice room. Instead of nasally set of vocals that he has grown accustomed to after hearing it nearly every night while his roommate showered, Kyuhyun found himself staggering backwards by a contrasting set of vocals. The striking, yet heartfelt voice mixed perfectly alongside the accompaniment of the grand piano, as well as the melodic pluckings from an acoustic guitar. The enchanting musical combination stirred a sense of chaos within Kyuhyun and he felt himself quickly become a willing victim of it’s lure as the tendrils of music guided him closer to the source.

_That name, that face, that laugh, everything,_

_How am I supposed to forget?_

_I'm living with so many memories of you._

However long Kyuhyun spent gawking at the sight before him, he would never be completely sure. The tightly wound fist that gripped the worn handles of Donghae's lunch box slackened as he stared, mouth hanging slightly ajar, at the unfamiliar figure perched on the piano bench. His widened eyes focused solely on the singer, who despite his diminutive and unimposing size, somehow managed to take full command his attention. Compared to his smaller than average stature, his voice was the opposite: bigger than life and unforgettable. His voice resonated within the sizable room, its heavenly tone bringing an unfamiliar warmth to Kyuhyun’s rapidly pounding chest.

_This is how I will survive,_

_This is what I will believe and live,_

_That if I only survive today,_

_That you will come back._

_My heart, she will come back..._

Suddenly, the tightly shut eyelids fluttered open and warm brown eyes met his own.

"Oh?" the now softened voice piqued, a welcoming smile spreading across his thin lips as the owner’s eyes curved upwards into a pair of friendly crescents, it's calm and welcoming nature nearly causing Kyuhyun collapse that very moment from the sudden heaviness that coursed throughout his entire being. "Hello there."

A confused Donghae spun around, glancing over his shoulder as he happily greeted Kyuhyun. However, the lanky male didn't notice. Instead, he stared, completely enamored by the unfamiliar singer. He gazed into those small, almond shaped eyes that only peered back, curiosity pooling within the depth of those brown orbs. His eyes shifted to the owner’s lips, watching as a string of words slipped past his unhearing ears. Even when Donghae, who had gotten up from the his seat and haphazardly waved his hands in front of Kyuhyun's face, the former couldn’t help but look past his older friend, his ears filled with the erratic sound of his thumping heart.

"Earth to Kyuhyun," Donghae started, frowning at the lack of acknowledgement. "This is Kim Ryeowook, my composition partner I was telling you about. Say hello you brat!"

Stillness filled the room, apart from the slight shuffling of Ryeowook’s shy wave from behind the piano. Moments, though it felt like eternity, passed before the words slowly slipped between Kyuhyun’s lips. All sense of rationality suddenly vanished into the deepest pits of his mind. There were so many more appropriate things he could have, no, **_should have_** said then, such as ‘Nice to meet you, I'm Kyuhyun’ or even a simple ‘Hi.’

But instead, at that very moment, his voice found the courage to speak on behalf of his mind.

"He's so beautiful."

It wasn't until a shy squeak from the singer, combined with Donghae's erupting laughter that Kyuhyun's drifted mental state made it’s abrupt returned. His eyes widened even more so, filled to the brim with petrification as he took in a sharp intake of breath. The lunchbox suddenly slipped from Kyuhyun’s already loosened grip, loudly clattering against the wooden floor as the packaged contents spilled out one by one.

“I-” he started, his typically snarky tongue twisted in an endless loop. Without another word, Kyuhyun took a single step back. Just Ryeowook stood from his seat, arm reached out in attempt to cut him off, the mathematics student quickly spun around on the heel of his foot and sprinted away the practice room as fast as he could.

Donghae peeked his head out of the room, only to see the lanky student's retreating figure disappear around the corner.

"Hyung, shouldn’t we go make sure he’s okay?"

The music composition student glanced back as his concerned classmate took a step next to him. He peered momentarily at Ryeowook’s flustered expression and avoiding gaze before he broke out into a wide grin that only served to deepen the other’s already reddened cheeks. Wordlessly, Donghae whipped out his cell phone from his pants pocket, quickly thumbing a message before sending it to the recipient.  

“Wipe the concern from your _beautiful_ face Ryeowook-ah,” he snickered, smoothening down the stray flies of Ryeowook’s hair before leaning down to gather the spilled contents from his lunch box. “Leave it to me!”

~*~

Elsewhere within the fine arts building, Kyuhyun sat atop a closed toilet seat, thumping his head against the rattling bathroom stalls.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered repeatedly, eyes closed as he willed for the embarrassing memories of just moments ago to wither away from his mind.

A familiar tone rung from the depths of his puffer coat jacket as Kyuhyun let out a pained groan. It was the same tone that had been on his phone for the past two years, having been personally downloaded and set by Donghae himself when they first exchanged numbers. Moments passed in a near deafening silence and it wasn't until a second chime that the mathematics student finally pulled out his cell phone from his coat pocket, his lanky form slumped against the steel walls of the toilet stall. His mind rummaged through the various “Donghae-like” comments that he was expecting, varying from vengeful teasing combined with hundreds of smilies to unwarranted amounts of sympathy.

Finally gaining the courage to glance down at the brightly lit screen, Kyuhyun felt his cheeks warm up as his slightly watering eyes scanned the texts.

To "Qhuyn!"

_oi u brat! dont beat urself up!_

_ur fav hyung will take care of everything! (•̀ᴗ•́)و_

 

**Author's Note:**

> I really need to learn how to link so I can link to aff too lol


End file.
